Social inclusion of refugees via family centres? A qualitative longitudinal research study on challenges in social work

Abstract

As the scale of global refugee migration has steadily increased, Germany has become a major immigration country. The social inclusion of refugee families is crucial for both the families and the receiving society, and thus represents an important societal challenge. Family centres, which already offer low-threshold, universal family support services, could facilitate this process of social inclusion. Implementing a qualitative longitudinal research study, the authors conducted problem-centred expert interviews with social workers in 2016 (32 interviews) and again in 2019 (33 interviews) to explore the local experiences of social work for and with refugee families. The systematically analysed data revealed not only various good practices of how family centres actively include refugees in family support programmes but also the frustration and exhaustion of social workers, who face several challenges that seem to hinder the inclusion of refugee families. Over the short period of three-and-a-half years, the data show evidence of a shift in activities, challenges and attitudes.